Inspect malfunctioning or damaged products to identify sources of problems and possible solutions

Aerospace engineers may develop new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems, and spacecraft. They often specialize in areas such as aerodynamic fluid flow; structural design; guidance, navigation, and control; instrumentation and communication; robotics; and propulsion and combustion.

Aerospace engineers can specialize in designing different types of aerospace products, such as commercial and military airplanes and helicopters; remotely piloted aircraft and rotorcraft; spacecraft, including launch vehicles and satellites; and military missiles and rockets.

Aerospace engineers often become experts in one or more related fields: aerodynamics, thermodynamics, celestial mechanics, flight mechanics, propulsion, acoustics, and guidance and control systems.

Aerospace engineers typically specialize in one of two types of engineering: aeronautical or astronautical.

Aeronautical engineers work with aircraft. They are involved primarily in designing aircraft and propulsion systems and in studying the aerodynamic performance of aircraft and construction materials. They work with the theory, technology, and practice of flight within the earth’s atmosphere.

Astronautical engineers work with the science and technology of spacecraft and how they perform inside and outside the earth’s atmosphere.

Aeronautical and astronautical engineers face different environmental and operational issues in designing aircraft and spacecraft. However, the two fields overlap a great deal because they both depend on the basic principles of physics.

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How To Become An Aircraft Engineer

Aerospace engineers must have a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or another field of engineering or science related to aerospace systems. Aerospace engineers who work on projects that are related to national defense may need a security clearance. U.S. citizenship may be required for certain types and levels of clearances.

Education

Entry-level aerospace engineers usually need a bachelor’s degree. High school students interested in studying aerospace engineering should take courses in chemistry, physics, and math, including algebra, trigonometry, and calculus.

Bachelor’s degree programs include classroom, laboratory, and field studies in subjects such as general engineering principles, propulsion, stability and control, structures, mechanics, and aerodynamics, which is the study of how air interacts with moving objects.

Some colleges and universities offer cooperative programs in partnership with regional businesses, which give students practical experience while they complete their education. Cooperative programs and internships enable students to gain valuable experience and to finance part of their education.

At some universities, a student can enroll in a 5-year program that leads to both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree upon completion. A graduate degree will allow an engineer to work as an instructor at a university or to do research and development. Programs in aerospace engineering are accredited by ABET.

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Aerospace engineers must be able to identify design elements that may not meet requirements and then must formulate alternatives to improve the performance of those elements.

Business skills. Much of the work done by aerospace engineers involves meeting federal government standards. Meeting these standards often requires knowledge of standard business practices, as well as knowledge of commercial law.

Critical-thinking skills. Aerospace engineers must be able to translate a set of issues into requirements and to figure out why a particular design does not work. They must be able to ask the right question, then find an acceptable answer.

Math skills. Aerospace engineers use the principles of calculus, trigonometry, and other advanced topics in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work.

Problem-solving skills. Aerospace engineers use their education and experience to upgrade designs and troubleshoot problems when meeting new demands for aircraft, such as increased fuel efficiency or improved safety.

Writing skills. Aerospace engineers must be able both to write papers that explain their designs clearly and to create documentation for future reference.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Licensure is not required for entry-level positions as an aerospace engineer. A Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one’s career. Licensed engineers are called professional engineers (PEs). A PE can oversee the work of other engineers, sign off on projects, and provide services directly to the public. State licensure generally requires:

A degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program

A passing score on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam

Relevant work experience, typically at least 4 years

A passing score on the Professional Engineering (PE) exam

The initial FE exam can be taken after one earns a bachelor’s degree. Engineers who pass this exam are commonly called engineers in training (EITs) or engineer interns (EIs). After meeting work experience requirements, EITs and EIs can take the second exam, called the Principles and Practice of Engineering.

Advancement

Eventually, aerospace engineers may advance to become technical specialists or to supervise a team of engineers and technicians. Some may even become engineering managers or move into executive positions, such as program managers.

The national average salary for an Aircraft Engineer in the United States is $61,249 per year or $29 per hour. Those in the bottom 10 percent make under $52,000 a year, and the top 10 percent make over $71,000.

Real Aircraft Engineer Salaries

Job Title

Company

Location

Start Date

Salary

Aircraft Retrofit & Repair Engineer

CTS Technical Services, Inc.

Long Beach, CA

Apr 01, 2015

$121,150

Aircraft Interior Arrangements Engineer

Learjet Inc.

Wichita, KS

Mar 24, 2016

$108,909

Aircraft Engineer

Maas Aviation Brookley, Inc.

Mobile, AL

Sep 17, 2016

$80,000

Aircraft Delivery Engineer

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

Little Rock, AR

Aug 20, 2016

$78,000

Aircraft Delivery Engineer

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

Little Rock, AR

Aug 16, 2015

$77,483

Aircraft Delivery Engineer

Dassault Falcon Jet Corp.

Little Rock, AR

Sep 16, 2014

$75,373

Aircraft Technologies Engineer (II)

St. Aerospace Mobile Inc.

Mobile, AL

Feb 01, 2013

$74,400

Aircraft Engineer

Draken International, Inc.

Lakeland, FL

Sep 24, 2013

$65,957

Aircraft Engineer

Draken International, Inc.

Lakeland, FL

Sep 20, 2013

$65,957

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

Vt Mobile Aerospace Engineering, Inc.

Mobile, AL

Jan 09, 2016

$65,250

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

Vt Mobile Aerospace Engineering, Inc.

Mobile, AL

Aug 09, 2016

$65,250

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

Vt Mobile Aerospace Engineering, Inc.

Mobile, AL

Aug 15, 2015

$65,250

Aircraft Engineer

Maas Aviation Brookley, Inc.

Mobile, AL

Sep 17, 2016

$65,000

Aircraft Powerplant Engineers

Allegiant Travel Company D/B/A Allegiant Air

Las Vegas, NV

Dec 23, 2015

$65,000

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

The MEC Group LLC

Everett, WA

Oct 15, 2015

$60,523

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

The MEC Group LLC

Everett, WA

Jul 15, 2015

$60,523

Aircraft Interiors Engineer

Allegiant Travel Company

Las Vegas, NV

Nov 21, 2016

$60,299

Aircraft Engineer

Better Aviation Products, Inc.

Coral Springs, FL

Sep 17, 2016

$60,043

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

Vt Mobile Aerospace Engineering, Inc.

Mobile, AL

Aug 09, 2016

$60,000

Aircraft Engineer

Us Airways, Inc.

Charlotte, NC

Aug 26, 2015

$59,384 -$92,774

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

Vt San Antonio Aerospace Inc.

San Antonio, TX

Nov 15, 2016

$56,000

Aircraft Technologies Engineer

Vt San Antonio Aerospace Inc.

San Antonio, TX

Jan 01, 2016

$55,500

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